Secure attachment
Secure attachment is a psychological concept that describes the emotional bond formed between an individual, typically a child, and their primary caregivers, such as parents. This attachment plays a crucial role in a child's psychological development, influencing how they perceive and manage relationships throughout their lives. Children who experience a secure attachment generally feel safe, loved, and supported, which fosters a sense of confidence and the ability to express feelings openly. They tend to react positively when their caregiver is present and maintain an emotional connection even during separations.
The foundation of secure attachment is rooted in responsive caregiving; when parents consistently meet their child's needs, it teaches the child that they can rely on others for support. This bond not only aids in developing trust but also enhances the child's capacity for empathy, allowing them to understand and relate to the emotions of others. In contrast, not all children develop secure attachments, with research indicating that up to 45% may form insecure attachment styles, which can impact their interpersonal relationships and emotional wellbeing. Nonetheless, those without secure attachments can cultivate coping strategies that may help them improve their relational skills over time. Understanding secure attachment can be beneficial for anyone interested in emotional development and interpersonal dynamics.
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Secure attachment
Secure attachment refers to the quality of the emotional bond one person forms with another. It commonly refers to the bond an infant or child forms with the parents or primary caregivers and the way this bond affects the child later in life. Children whose parents create an environment in which the child feels safe and loved are likely to form a secure attachment with the parents that carries over to other relationships. Other events later in life can affect a person’s ability to form attachments, however, and other relationships can alter the attachment style for better or worse.
Background
The development of the attachment theory began with the work of John Bowlby. The British psychologist’s childhood experience at boarding school beginning at the age of seven inspired an interest in how being separated early in life from a parent, especially a mother, affects a child. Beginning in the 1960s, Bowlby developed the theory that how well a child is attached to his or her parents is important to the child’s psychological development.
American Canadian psychologist Mary Ainsworth built on Bowlby’s work in developing her own version of attachment theory. She also developed a test called the Strange Situation Classification (SSC) to assess the level of attachment in infants and toddlers too young to verbalize how they felt. In the test, researchers observe a child and a primary caregiver, usually the mother, who are in a room together. An adult unknown to the child enters the room and speaks to the child’s caregiver. The caregiver slips out of the room, leaving the child with the stranger. The familiar caregiver then returns a short time later and interacts with the child.
Ainsworth and others began using SSC in the 1960s. It allowed the researchers to assess how the child interacted with the caregiver, how the child reacted when the caregiver left, and how the child interacted when the caregiver returned. From this, Ainsworth determined that there were different types of attachment styles. She defined three: secure attachment, ambivalent-insecure attachment, and avoidant-insecure attachment. Later, other researchers added a fourth style, the disorganized-insecure attachment style.
Further research also confirmed early theories that these attachment styles affected not only the child’s relationship with early caregivers but also behavior in other relationships later in life. Researchers suggest that how children view their relationships with their parents, as well as how they see their parents’ relationship with each other, plays a significant role in how those children will see their own relationships later in life, including romantic relationships. Knowing the child’s attachment style can help predict the level of attachment and security in later relationships as well.
Overview
Later research confirmed Ainsworth’s initial determination that children with a secure attachment style are usually unhappy when their caregiver leaves but not excessively so. They can be comforted to a degree by others while the caregiver is absent but show clear preference for the primary caregiver. The child is also notably happy at the return of the primary caregiver. When frightened or upset, the securely attached child prefers the comfort of the primary caregiver over comfort from others.
Later in life, these characteristics are reflected as having good self-esteem and a degree of confidence sharing feelings and emotions with others. The relationships of a child raised to have secure attachments will reflect trust and a comfort level seeking support from others. The child raised in this way will also demonstrate empathy, or an ability to understand the emotions of others.
Children develop secure attachments with primary caregivers who are responsive to the child’s needs and concerns in a way that helps the child develop confidence in his or her own ability to cope with difficulties. For example, when a child falls, it is common for the child to look to the parent immediately. The child, who is probably startled and maybe feels some pain or discomfort, is unsure how to react to these feelings. He or she looks to the parent to help process the feelings.
A parent who responds to a child who has received a minor bump with a reassuring smile and comforting hug teaches the child that the situation is not serious and can be overcome. This not only helps the child feel safe and secure in the moment but also teaches that others will respond to needs and help with scary or difficult moments. All of this helps the child develop a secure attachment to the parent and an attitude that people are there to help.
Children raised in this way feel secure in relationships and are not afraid of being abandoned. They also feel free to express their own feelings and develop the strategies needed to cope when challenges arise. From watching the behavior of the parent, children also develop the ability to identify and empathize with the feelings of others.
Although developing a secure attachment style would seem like the norm, as many as 45 percent of people do not develop a secure attachment with their primary caregivers or parents. Although these children do not receive the benefits a secure attachment style provides, other attachment styles help children develop coping skills to deal with the lack of attachment. These skills become strengths that those without a secure attachment style can use to help improve their attachment style and increase the likelihood of developing the self-esteem, empathy, and security in relationships that are the hallmarks of the secure attachment style.
Bibliography
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